If You’re Brave Enough, Here Are The Instructions From An Obscure Korean Elevator ‘Game’ That Might Take You To Another World

via Flickr - Jamal Fanaian
via Flickr – Jamal Fanaian

There are a number of “games” out there but I’d never heard of this one called ‘Elevator To Another World’. It apparently comes from Korea but there’s no word on who first discovered it and I can’t read the first hand accounts because Google Translate won’t work. It says it’s translated everything into English but there’s no translation which I find pretty odd.

Screenshot
Screenshot

I was, however, able to locate what claims to be a translation of the game which appears from several years ago. The instructions appear below. Be very careful with this. Some claim that the infamous video of Elisa Lam shows her playing this game. She was, of course, later found dead in a rooftop water cistern.

Whether it’s real or not, proceed with extreme caution. It’s claimed that this game, done correctly, takes you to another world where everything is just like in the normal world except you are the only person and the world is dark. Some who claim to have successfully returned after playing the game report a red cross in the distance but all claim to have become disoriented and had trouble remembering how to get back.

A good precaution might be to write the return instructions on your hand provided there’s enough light to see if you’re able to make the trip.

Here is how to play the game. Good luck.

The Elevator To Another World

Only one person can play at a time. You can only perform this ritual in a building at least 10 stories high with at least one elevator in it. You cannot proceed otherwise.

Instructions:

Traveling:

  1. Enter the elevator from the first floor by yourself. If anyone else gets on then understand that you cannot continue from the first floor and wait until the elevator can be taken alone.
  2. Press the button for the fourth floor.
  3. Do not get out when the elevator reaches the fourth floor. Stay in the elevator and press the button for the second floor.
  4. Do not get out when you reach the second floor. Stay on the elevator and then press the button for the sixth floor.
  5. Do not get out when you reach the sixth floor, remain in the elevator and press the button for the second floor.
  6. Do not get out when you reach the second floor. Stay on the elevator and press the button for the tenth floor. Some have reported hearing a voice calling to them on the second floor during this middle section of the ritual. Do not reply. Do not answer in any way.
  7. Do not get out once you have reached the tenth floor. Stay on and and press the button for the fifth floor.
  8. It has been reported by some that a woman may enter the elevator on floor five. She may appear as a stranger who wishes to engage with you. More importantly, she  may appear as someone you know. It is important that you do not acknowledge her in word or glance. If the elevator you are in is reflective then stare at the floor or the buttons only.
  9. Now press the button to head to the first floor. If instead of going towards the first floor you instead begin to ascend to the tenth then you have performed the ritual correctly. However, and this is very important, if you instead do descend to the first floor then you have done something wrong. Get off on the first floor immediately. If the woman is on the elevator then remember not to acknowledge her.
  10. If you reach the tenth floor, you can either stay on the elevator or exit the elevator. Some have reported that upon attempting to leave the elevator, the woman will try one last time to engage with you. She may raise her voice and ask where you are going or “what’s wrong”. She may shriek as you cross the door’s threshold. Keep your wits about you and do not engage or look at her even out of fear.
  11. There is only one way to know whether you have traveled to the Other world for sure. You will know because you will be the only person there.

Traveling Back To Your Home World:

Alternatively, if you do not exit on the 10th floor:

  1. Press the button for the first floor and keep pressing it until the elevator begins to move.
  2. Once you have reached the first floor, exit immediately. Do not exit on any other floors but the first. Do not acknowledge the woman if she is on the elevator. If anyone else gets on then do not speak to them either. Remain silent.

If you do exit the elevator at the tenth floor:

  1. The elevator you used to get there is the only one you can use to return. Remember it.
  2. When you get back on the elevator, press the buttons in the same order you did in steps 2 through 8 which you used to travel. This should take you to the fifth floor.
  3. Once you have reached the fifth floor, press the button for the first floor. Do not be surprised when you instead begin to ascend again to the tenth floor. Do not panic. You can press the button of any floor lower than ten to stop ascending but you have to do it before you again reach the tenth floor. Some have described feeling called not to cancel the elevator’s ascension. You must.
  4. Once you have canceled the ascension and reached the first floor make sure that everything seems normal to you. If anything seems remotely strange. If you hear anything you should not be hearing. If you smell something you don’t recognize then do not exit the elevator. You have to repeat step two until everything on the first floor seems normal. This is very important.
  5. Once you are satisfied that everything on the first floor is as it should be in your world then you can exit the elevator.

Additional Information on Traveling:

  • The Otherworld has been described by travelers as dark but otherwise exactly like your ‘home’ world. Again, you will know that it is not your world because no one else will be there. You may see a distant red cross through a window. This may be a cross or it may be something else.
  • Electronics often do not work but some have posted videos claimed to have been taken while traveling to the Otherworld
  • You may become disoriented if you exit on the tenth floor. You may feel dizzy. Be vigilant, pay attention to how you are feeling, and keep your wits about you.
  • If you pass out you may wake up at home but, understand, it may not be your “home” world. It also may not be the Otherworld you intended to travel to by invoking this ritual. Examine everything around you to make sure it’s as it should be.
  • If you get on the wrong elevator on your return trip then do not enter the return sequence. It will not work.

Regarding the woman:

Do NOT speak to her.

Do NOT look at her.

Do NOT check to see if she is still there.

She is.

P.S. If you play this game I would love to hear an account of your experience. Email me at dan@thoughtcatalog.com Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Ask me anything as long as it’s safe for all ages and just fantastically interesting.

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